3YOU NEEDTHINGS
TO KNOW ABOUT TIRES
AND WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
ROUND. BLACK.
RUBBER. REALLY?!
I’M SOOO
MUCH MORE
THAN THAT.
TreadWisely.org
Think your tires are just round, black and rubber? That’s so threedimensional! They’re much more than that. Your tires have a big job
carting you and your friends around. Still, they do their rotational
thing day after day with no love. Until there’s a problem. All of the
sudden, you can’t get to that lucrative pizza delivery job. Or water
ballet tryouts. Or Espanol with Señora Marta. Your tires take care
of you, so take care of them. Just follow these three simple steps
once a month and before longer trips. Soon, you and your tires will
be besties for life.
1
Check the amount of air in your
tires, better known as tire pressure
or inflation pressure.
WHY? Having the right tire pressure helps your tires perform like they
should, giving you better control of your car and helping your tires wear longer
and more evenly. Having the proper tire pressure saves you bucks at the fuel
pump because when your car rolls right, it eats less gas.
____________
SURPRISING FACT: Driving your
car with even one tire that is underinflated
by just 8 PSI can reduce the life of the
tire by 9,000 miles and increase your fuel
consumption by 4%. Keep your cash—
make sure your tires are properly inflated.
____________
HOW? First, check your tire pressure
when your tires are cool … no sooner than three
hours after you last drove your car.
Find out what your tire pressure should be. Hint: it’s not on the tire itself …
that’s the max level, which you should never exceed and use only when
carrying a super-heavy load. Instead, look for the tire pressure listed on that
sticker inside your car door, glove box or fuel door, or in the car’s manual.
Next, remove your tire’s valve cap.
Then, take the tire gauge … it usually looks like a large pen with a round
end…and firmly press the round end onto your valve stem.
If you do it right, a number will pop up on your tire gauge. This is the PSI
number, which stands for pounds per square inch. That’s how tire pressure
is measured. If this number
matches your recommended
tire pressure, you’re good to go.
Running
If the number is lower than the
a tire underinflated is like running your
recommended tire pressure, your
engine without enough oil or coolant.
tire is underinflated. You need to
Things might seem fine for a while, but
put more air in and check again
serious, permanent damage can occur.
until you reach the right number.
And, just like adding oil or coolant cannot
repair engine damage that has already
If the reading on the gauge
happened, adding air too late won’t fix tire
is higher than the pressure
damage. Your tire can still fail, even after
recommended for your car,
you correct the inflation pressure.
you’re overinflated. You need
to release some air because tires
So, keep inflation right all the time!
that are too full produce a harsh
ride, wear out faster, and are more
susceptible to be cut, punctured or damaged if you hit something in the
road. The knob on the back of the tire gauge can be used to release air or
you can use your fingernail or the tip of a pen. Once you release air, check
your pressure again until you reach the proper PSI.
____________
SURPRISING FACT:
____________
Oh, don’t forget to put the valve cap back on tightly … those little guys have
a job to do. They keep moisture and dirt out, so make sure you have them
on all four of your tires.
One more thing … you might think that you don’t need to do any of this
because your car flashes a lighted symbol from the tire pressure monitoring
system (TPMS) if your tire pressure
is out of whack. Well, you’re
not off the hook. For several
I DO MY
reasons, a TPMS should
BEST WORK
not be solely relied on
for inflation pressure.
You must check it
yourself once a month
and before each
long trip.
UNDER
PRESSURE.
2
__________
Check your tread depth.
SURPRISING FACT:
Many teens and young adults do
not consider tires when shopping
WHY? Tire tread gives you the traction to stop and hold the road on curves.
Tire tread also funnels water out from under your tires, which helps reduce
hydroplaning … that scary slide your car can do on a thin sheet of water. Your tire
tread should be no less than 2/32nds of an inch deep on any part of your tire.
HOW? Most tires
have built in tread wear
indicators, more
commonly called “wear bars.”
These are narrow bars of smooth
rubber that run across the tread in
multiple places on the tire. When
your tread gets even with these
bars, or is lower than these bars,
the tire is too worn and must
be replaced.
While you’re looking at tread depth,
also look for uneven tread wear. This
can include more wear on one tread
edge than the other, a rippled pattern
of high and low wear or even exposed
steel wire within the tire. Uneven wear
can be caused by underinflation,
vehicle misalignment or improper
balancing and it’s serious.
Another way to measure tread depth
is with a common U.S. penny! Insert
the edge of the penny into the most
worn groove of your tire tread with
Lincoln’s head down and facing you.
for used vehicles. Often, these
buyers focus on the style, color
and mileage on a used car, but
skip over the condition of the
tires. Think about it … if the car
needs new tires, that’s gonna cost
you. Be a savvy negotiator. Point
out the bad tires to the seller and
ask for bucks off the purchase
price. Then, use the money you
saved to buy new tires. Otherwise,
walk away … it’s not worth it no
matter how sweet the ride or how
amazing the deal.
__________
BALD MIGHT LOOK GOOD ON
KOBE OR AMBER ROSE...
If the top of Honest Abe’s head is
covered by tread, meaning you cannot
see the top of his head, you’re good! If
the top of his head is visible, it’s time
to replace the tire.
Finally, if you like cool gadgets,
you can measure with a tire tread
depth indicator.
BUT BALD’S NOT A GOOD
LOOK ON YOUR TIRES!
3
Check the overall condition
of your tires. Do a visual.
WHY? Damaged tires are dangerous and can cause tire failure. Damaged
tires can also shorten the life of the tire and result in a loss of air. Anytime
you see damage to your tire, don’t drive on it. Use your spare if you must go
somewhere or call a friend, parent or someone to get you where you need to
go. You need to pull over while you wait to be helped. Steer your car to a safe,
flat place on the side of the road. Turn on your hazard lights.
Turn off your engine and put on your parking break.
HOW? Look at your tires. Check
for any cuts, cracks, punctures and
bulges. If you spot any of these, get
your tires checked by a professional
shop before driving on them any
farther. Also look for any foreign
objects in your tire tread. Things like
small stones, pieces of glass, bits of
metal or other objects stuck in your tires
should be carefully removed. They can
cause major damage.
___________
SURPRISING FACT: Rotate
your tires every 5,000 to 8,000
miles if you have all-season tires or
a front-wheel drive vehicle. If your
tires are new or new(er), and you
see early signs of irregular or uneven
tire wear, see a professional tire
dealer to determine what’s going on
before you keep driving on the tires.
__________
Rotating your tires –
switching their position
to avoid uneven wear –
is important. You should
follow the rotational
pattern or process that’s
detailed in your car’s
warranty or owner’s manual.
There are various patterns
for rotating tires. A common one
for front-wheel drive vehicles involves
moving the tires in a crisscross fashion,
with the left front tire trading places with
the right rear, and right front trading with
the left rear.
Don’t forget to register your tires when you
buy new ones. It’s an online process that’s
super easy.
Just like your car, your tires are a big investment and they need
to be taken care of and properly maintained. When you treat your
tires the right way, you’ll be safer, you’ll save money, and you
won’t miss out on date night, the big game or need to call the boss
because you’ll be late for
work. We’ve said it before
and we’ll say it again,
your tires take care of
you. Make sure you take
care of them.
ARE YOU MAD AT ME?
THEN WHY ARE YOU
IGNORING ME?
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